You keep saying they did nothing to help the homeless but have no idea if this is true! You are a blatant liar!
‘Hope for Iowa': Iowa Churches to Distribute Bibles to Every Home in City
- Thread starter Angel4Truth
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You keep saying they did nothing to help the homeless but have no idea if this is true! You are a blatant liar!
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
He's not a liar, Delmar. You may not agree with him, but the fact remains that they spent the money on Bibles and not on sandwiches. Even if they bought sandwiches in addition to the bibles, the money spent on bibles was money that wasn't spent on sandwiches.
This reminds me of a conversation TH and I were discussing concerning a Hitchens' quote where (paraphrasing) Hitchens claims Christians are more content to advance their religious cause rather than eliminate the human suffering before them.
This seems an apt example.
He did lie. Don't defend him. Saying they bought Bibles instead of helping the needy is something he said multiple times in several different ways. Saying that Buying Bibles is a waste is also untrue but is not a specific lie since he believes that to be true.
annabenedetti
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He didn't lie. What he said was that the money spent on the bibles could have been spent to buy food/necessities. And that's a true statement.
They did actually buy bibles instead of food.
It's obvious he doesn't agree with you, but that doesn't make him a liar.
zoo22
Well-known member
Personally, I think the $18,000 could have been much better spent. Free Bibles are available all over the place for people who want them, and undoubtedly, for many people, they were unwanted. I don't know about you folks, but I don't like religious people knocking on my door with literature, despite that I know they're being nice and trying to save my soul.
But I'm sure lots of people were happy to have someone come by to give them a free Bible and pray with them.
All that said, it's their $18,000 to spend. As Granite's said in the past about a somewhat similar situation (now purged thread about a "green" hotel giving out free copies of Al Gore's book*):
That's pretty much what I think of this.
But also, as misdirected as I think it is, the purpose of the churches giving out the Bibles wasn't really about helping the homeless or vets or the hungry with sandwiches (though maybe it should have been); it was response to a rash of crime and what they thought was a general "gloom" in the city, and the purpose of giving away the Bibles was to provide "hope."
Now, while I think there are much better ways to do that, and that instead of Bibles, $18,000 could go a long way to say, setting up some sort of real community program, it does make sense for a Church to think that a free Bible and door-to-door praying is a perfect way to spread positivity and hope.
My hope is that they're doing more than giving out Bibles.
* In addition to the free Gideon's Bible, not instead of.
But I'm sure lots of people were happy to have someone come by to give them a free Bible and pray with them.
All that said, it's their $18,000 to spend. As Granite's said in the past about a somewhat similar situation (now purged thread about a "green" hotel giving out free copies of Al Gore's book*):
That's pretty much what I think of this.
But also, as misdirected as I think it is, the purpose of the churches giving out the Bibles wasn't really about helping the homeless or vets or the hungry with sandwiches (though maybe it should have been); it was response to a rash of crime and what they thought was a general "gloom" in the city, and the purpose of giving away the Bibles was to provide "hope."
Now, while I think there are much better ways to do that, and that instead of Bibles, $18,000 could go a long way to say, setting up some sort of real community program, it does make sense for a Church to think that a free Bible and door-to-door praying is a perfect way to spread positivity and hope.
My hope is that they're doing more than giving out Bibles.
* In addition to the free Gideon's Bible, not instead of.
Your hysteria and general dislike of me's keeping you from even reading or understanding my posts and others here have already clarified the obvious for me.
Grow up and actually pay attention to what I say.
Couldn't agree more. One of the reasons Hitch detested Mother Teresa was because she was a big fan of poverty, not an advocate for the poor. It's the misery that became her lifeblood.
This entire situation just shows how backward Christianity's thinking can be, even with the very best intentions (cruel tender mercies, anyone?) Eighteen grand--down payment on a homeless shelter, or a halfway house. Or food. Or paid bills. Or cribs and diapers and formula. None of that happened. They gave books to people who already have a roof over their head.
He still lied, he acts like they chose between only 2 options. That article says nothing of the sort and he, you or anyone else here cant tell us what else they do with their money.
Its like saying if you went to the movies tonight, you chose not to feed a homeless person.
That would be a lie.
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
No. He didn't lie.
And you and Delmar are overreaching and overreacting.
No. It's not.
You're equating movies with Bibles. Entertainment with evangelization. It doesn't work.
It doesnt work either to pretend this is an either or situation, at best the arguments pretending to know what they do is disingenuous.
He did lie, why you support that is a mystery. Are you still catholic btw, i notice your faith statement says other now.
Would it be a lie if i said that the RCC chooses to have decadent art over feeding the needy?
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
No one needs to pretend to know what they did with the money they used to buy Bibles. They bought Bibles. It's pretty straightforward.
No. He didn't lie. You and Delmar just say he did.
I'm not going to get sucked into an endless vortex of argument, either. I've said what I meant to say.
yeah, i guess you support and choose to starve people each time you spend anything on anything other than a basic need. And granite chooses not to feed people also when he spends his money on the internet, instead of helping the needy - since thats not a lie and you and he spend money on other things besides charity work.
You have failed to respond to my questions. Easy to see why.
Then again, she didn't pronounce to the entire town she lives in that she's gonna spend 18 grand handing out to all citizens, 'Moby Dick' ...all for the self-glorifying fight against illiteracy.
There's that.........
You say it like buying Bibles is a bad thing
Well, give a man a fish...he eats for a day.
-- Give a man a bible...he doesn't.
lain:Tell me that's a good thing Delmar?
Thank you. Good post. This is about how I feel about this.
There's little point in the two sides arguing about this. If you don't see value in someone reading the bible then obviously you are going to see this project as a waste of time and resources. If you see value in someone reading the bible then you will not see it as a waste.
I'm not going to accuse them of wasting their time and money (unsurprisingly probably) and I think it's unfair to accuse them of not caring about people, etc. We all make decisions with our money that could be better spent by helping others. Do we really want to start a battle of pointing fingers?
Having said that, I do think this endeavour is misguided for a number of reasons that were already stated. How many of these people already had a bible? How much help does handing out a bible really do? Could there not be a better connection if you give out some food and an invitation to church where the scripture can be given in a better context and with more guidance? Or even a free voucher for a bible if they choose to take one. Then you are only spending money on bibles that are wanted and have a better chance of getting read. If this was about crime and giving hope then plan prayer walks around the city. Provide a presence. I think people will be drawn to God more if they are shown love in more practical ways than just handing out a bible.
Well, give a man a fish...he eats for a day.
-- Give a man a bible...he doesn't.
Tell me that's a good thing Delmar?
What is wrong with giving him a Bible and teaching him to fish :idunno:
The bible wouldn't work as a sinker.
Maybe he could throw the bible at the fish and hope.
There! Christians giving hope to the hungry!
Stuart